Grizzly Softball enters home stretch of 2024 season
The Missouri State University-West Plains (MSU-WP) Grizzly Softball team is entering the home stretch of the 2024 regular season with a 30-12 overall record.
Only five outings remain before the postseason begins, and three of those outings are set for this week at home at the Hilburn Sports Complex adjacent to West Plains High School. They include double headers against:
- North Central Missouri College at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Thursday, April 18
- Metropolitan Community College at noon and 2 p.m. Saturday, April 20
- Jefferson College at noon and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 21
The Grizzlies will pay tribute to their sophomores, Kenzie Massey of Grandby and Madalyn Ivy of Mansfield, prior to Saturday's first game.
Recently, the Grizzlies played double headers against State Fair Community College, Moberly Area Community College, Three Rivers College and St. Charles Community College and posted a 5-3 record in those eight games.
"We are playing really good softball right now," Head Coach Don Long said. "Our goal is to finish in the top four of our region so we can host the sub-region.
"Alexis Funkhouser came up huge in the Three Rivers series," the coach said. "She had a two-run home run that scored the only two runs in the first game then had two more home runs in the second game.
"Jordyn Foley has been pitching phenomenal," Long added. "In five of the last six games, she has given up two runs or less, and she has thrown three shutouts during this stretch. We want to keep this momentum and take it into the post season."
Against State Fair
The Grizzlies lost both of their games against State Fair April 7 in Sedalia. They fell 5-4 in a closely contested game one, but were blanked 8-0 in the second contest.
The Grizzlies started strong with two runs in the third inning and two more in the fourth in the first game, but the Roadrunners fought back with three runs in the seventh and one run in the eight to secure the win.
Massey had three hits, two singles and a triple, and one RBI. Freshmen Zoey Williams, West Plains, and Karissa Roberts, Ozark each hit a single. Foley gave up seven hits, five runs (three earned) and three walks while fanning four batters.
"We were leading going into the bottom of the seventh inning, but our defense let us down and allowed State Fair to tie the game and send it into extra innings," Long said.
The Roadrunners took control of the second game early, scoring two runs in both the third and fourth innings before erupting for four runs in the fifth inning. State Fair recorded 13 hits in the game, while the Grizzlies could only muster three, two of which came from Massey and the third from freshman Lexie Gastineau, Ava.
Freshman Brooklyn Hasler, Ozark, took the loss, giving up 12 hits and eight runs (six earned) over 4.2 innings.
Against Moberly
The Grizzlies bounced back against the Moberly Greyhounds April 11. They took a 5-2 decision in the first game then blanked their Region 16 rivals 8-0 in the second at Moberly.
Gastineau and Williams led the offensive charge in game one. Both hit two singles, and Gastineau picked up an RBI and stole four bases. Hasler added a double.
Foley pitched all seven innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs while fanning eight batters.
In the second game, the Grizzlies got off to a quick start, scoring four runs in the first inning and adding one run in each of the second and third innings. They capped off their scoring with two more runs in the fifth.
Six Grizzlies recorded a total of nine hits. Ivy hit two doubles and picked up an RBI, freshman Brydon Maddox had a double and an RBI, Funkhouser had a double and a single with an RBI, Foley hit a single and picked up three RBIs, Williams hit a single and picked up two RBIs, and Massey had a single and two stolen bases.
Foley was stellar from the mound, pitching a shutout while striking out 10 batters.
Against Three Rivers
MSU-WP continued its winning ways on April 13 against Three Rivers College at the Hilburn Sports Complex in West Plains. The Grizzlies defeated the Raiders 2-1 in the first game of the double header, then went on a scoring spree in the second game to take a 10-0 decision.
The first game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth inning when Funkhouser hit a two-run home run, giving the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead. The Raiders tried to mount a comeback in the sixth with a solo home run; however, they were unable to score any more runs, and the Grizzlies held on for the win.
Others hitting for MSU-WP were Hasler with a single and a double, and Massey and Foley each with a single.
In seven innings work, Foley gave up one earned run on three hits while walking five batters and striking out 14.
The Grizzlies started the second game strong with a four-run first inning that set the tone for the rest of the six-inning contest. They continued to add runs in the second and third innings, ultimately ending the game early with a four-run sixth inning to secure the win.
Funkhouser went 4-4 at the plate with two home runs, a double and a single, picking up six RBIs along the way. Massey went 3-3 with a double and two singles that garnered her an RBI. She also had a stolen base.
Foley had another impressive performance on the mound, pitching a complete game shutout while allowing only three hits and striking out eight batters.
Against St. Charles
Sunday, April 14, the Grizzlies traveled to St. Charles for a double header against the Cougars. The Grizzlies won the first game 2-0 but dropped the second 10-2.
Foley again had a strong performance from the mound in the first contest, pitching a complete shutout while allowing only two hits and striking out eight batters.
Offensively, the Grizzlies picked up their runs in the second and sixth innings. Williams hit a double and had a stolen base, Foley hit a single and picked up an RBI, and Hasler hit a single.
MSU-WP's defense struggled in the second game, giving up a run in the first inning, another in the third, three in the fourth and five in the sixth.
Foley gave up five runs (one earned) on four hits with one walk and three strikeouts in four innings of work. Hasler came in for 1.2 innings and gave up five runs (two earned) off five hits and a walk.
The Grizzlies scored their two runs in the top of the sixth. Williams hit a double that picked up one RBI, and Funkhouser and freshman Kennedy Cogdill, East Prairie, each hit a single.
For more information about the Grizzly Softball team, visit MSUWPGrizzlies.com or check out the team's Facebook page, Facebook.com/GrizzlySB.